🔗 Share this article

The mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled enduring the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is without water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.